Birthplace of Rivers National Monument
ProposalProposal reflects a collaborative
vision to protect access and preserve this treasured land.

The Birthplace of Rivers National Monument proposal is the product of
input from stakeholders, including user groups, land managers and local
residents. When collecting input from the general public, several key
priorities were commonly identified. The Birthplace of Rivers National
Monument proposal reflects a shared vision to address these priorities.
These include maintaining hunting and fishing access, preserving
recreational access for activities such as mountain biking, and ensuring
the area would continue to be managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

Common priorities in local communities include maintaining a role for
the timber industry, preserving access for gathering of wild edible
plants, ensuring the designation does not affect private land, and
protecting access for specific activities such as trapping and hunting
with dogs. The proposal also addresses these concerns. Additionally,
stakeholders, the general public and local governments want a say in
future management decisions. The proposal requires a management plan and
future management decisions to be drafted with maximum public input –
because future stakeholder and public input is not guaranteed, this is
one of the strongest reasons to pursue national monument designation.

Cornerstone values of the National Monument proposal:

-Permanence to protect against threats that would
impact the way West Virginians and our visitors experience this
special area.

-Flexibility in management to address forest
restoration, active habitat improvement, outbreaks of insects or
disease, invasive plants and other emergencies.